Retreat and create
Lake Cowichan · Vancouver Island · March 2026
Step away from the noise and rediscover your creative rhythm in the temperate rainforest of Vancouver Island. Our week-long residencies combine studio practice, digital media workshops, and restorative immersion in nature—space to learn, make, and breathe again.
In an age when everything accelerates, slow down to listen—to nature, to intelligence, to your own creative pulse. This retreat invites you into an intimate studio community led by Dr. Brad Necyk, where art, technology, and renewal meet.
AI Film “Flight 888” by Brad Necyk and Jason Silva. Created with the AI pipeline taught in this class
AI Filmmaking Intensive
Dates: March 1 – 7 · 2026 | Limited to 5 participants
Write, art-direct, compose, and edit your own short film using intelligent media tools that are reshaping cinema itself.
Across seven days, you’ll learn how to build narrative and visual systems using ChatGPT, Midjourney, RunwayML, Sora, Suno, and Eleven Labs—developing your own cinematic voice at the edge of human and machine creativity.
Guided by Dr. Brad Necyk, co-creator (with futurist Jason Silva) of the viral hit Psychedelic Puppet Show, this workshop blends hands-on production with daily critique, creative mentoring, and reflection in nature.
No experience required.
Open to beginners, established filmmakers, and media artists retraining for the intelligent age.
Price: $700 CAD for provided accommodations + $600 CAD tuition
Total: $1,300 CAD (~925 USD)
AI-assisted Generative Art Works created by instructor Brad Necyk
AI VibeCoding: Generative Art and Digital Flow
Dates: March 8 – 14 · 2026 | Limited to 5 participants
Discover how to merge code, sound, and image into living digital systems.
This week-long intensive introduces p5.js for creative coding, paired with leading AI tools—Midjourney, Suno, Eleven Labs, Sora, and RunwayML—to design visual worlds that move, listen, and respond.
Each participant will craft an interactive or time-based artwork exploring rhythm, mood, and atmosphere—what we call vibe coding.
No experience required.
Designed for curious beginners and experienced artists alike, this residency balances technical learning with deep creative exploration in one of the most beautiful landscapes on Earth.
Price: $700 CAD for provided accommodations + $600 CAD tuition
Total: $1,300 CAD (~925 USD)
About Dr. Brad Necyk, PhD MFA
Visual Artist · AI Filmmaker · Educator || bradnecyk.com
Dr. Brad Necyk is a Canadian visual artist, filmmaker, and university lecturer whose work explores the intersection of art, science, and emerging technologies.
He holds a BFA, MFA, and PhD in Psychiatry, and completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Cinema and Media Arts at York University, as well as a Research Associateship at the University of California, Santa Cruz in their Film & Digital Media Department.
Brad has taught digital media and intelligent systems for more than 15 years across several Canadian universities, and his films and exhibitions have been shown nationally and internationally.
As the co-creator (with futurist Jason Silva) of the viral Psychedelic Puppet Show, Brad brings a rare blend of conceptual depth, technical fluency, and creative mentorship to every workshop.
His teaching philosophy bridges reflection, embodiment, and experimentation—helping artists translate the poetry of imagination into intelligent media.
A Position on Retreat
Nestled in the mountains of Vancouver Island, A Position on Retreat is a creative residency and learning experience set in the heart of the beautiful lake town of Lake Cowichan. Surrounded by forest and a crystal-clear lake, it’s a space to slow down, reconnect, and create.
Our home and studios are just steps from cafes, shops, and trails—everything you need is within walking distance. Here, artists, thinkers, and makers come together to learn new skills, explore ideas, and build community while enjoying time for reflection, rest, and inspiration.
Blending workshop and retreat, this is a place where creative growth meets deep rejuvenation.
Website link: https://apositiononretreat.com
Contact: brad@apositiononretreat.com